Use it up

In my quest to use the MOUNTAIN of background papers I have accumulated over the years, I started created small thank you tags to include with my Ebay sales. Sometimes I create a background that as a whole looks like crud but when I tear it into smaller pieces I get some very unique and beautiful papers to use...throw in some pieces cut with paper punches and some cute string or ribbon and VOILA....change the sentiment out and you could make gift tags!

Take Ten Magazine!!

Run to the store and grab the new issue of Take Ten magazine(from Stampington & Co.)...flip to pages 72-74 and you will see some of MY CARDS!!!!! I am beyond thrilled that the lovely editor, Amber Demien, contacted me earlier this year and asked me to submit some things. I am making it a point in 2011 to submit more often.
Check it out..

couple of cards

I ran across a piece of sequin waste so I used it as a stencil for the background of these cards.sorry for the crazy bad photos, I seem to have lost the exclusive rights to my own camera, my daughter has it most of the time and when I do the chance the use it 9 times out of ten there won't be any charged batteries.

Flutter

I finally found a use for those Smooch Inks from Clearsnap(those ones in the bottle that looks like nailpolish)...marbling paper! It could not be an easier..fill a shallow pan with warm water,touch the brush(built into the cap) from the Smooch ink to the water gently-it will float, layer another color on top of the first color by touching another colored brush in the center of the first color,repeat with as many colors as you wish. Take a chopstick, a toothpick,whatever and gently swirl the colors(you can also use a straw to softly blow the colors around)-then set your paper down on top of the water-don't push it down,just gently set it on the top then lift it up. DONE! The colors are a lot softer than they appear on the bottle but the results are just beautiful.
For this card I stamped a few butterfly images from Memory Box and cut them out. The phrase is from Inkadinkado, the clear gems are from Hero Arts.
If you are unable to find the Smooch Inks I would be happy to order them for you.

breaking it in...

I really have been messing up my studio studio,trying lots of stuff but just not producing any finished pieces...hopefully that will come in time....
and check this out, one of my cards is being used in an ad for Take Ten magazine...this big one with the leafy branch is mine.

mini studio photos

From the hall-it is still a guest room,plenty of space and Cooper thinks it is pretty spectacular!(that is is stuffed tiger in the middle of the room)
A display wall that i will add to as I find interesting things.
My table-an old enamel top farm table(needs a paint job)-above it is an old metal basket Mark found for me in the woods! A photo of downtown Pittsburgh taken by my nephew and a few favorite things.
There are three aqua metal cabinets in here-something my Dad got for me when the place he used to work was shutting down one of its buildings-the nurses station had these and they were going to throw them in the dumpster!
So this is my new space...so far so good! There is a closet in the corner that has some storage space for paper and misc stuff,room under the bed for things and I still have the big room in the basement for messy work and TONS of storage.

New studio...again

So my new mini studio is up and running..still don't have everything i need in there but I am taking my time and trying to do it right. Jenna has the camera right now but I promise to post photos soon. I am so excited to have SUNLIGHT in my studio again and Cooper is thrilled to be able to lay by by side while I fiddle around with all my papers and inks and stamps. I actually made 6 cards today-they are for an exchange at a Stampin' Up party tomorrow...the theme is BABY which is something I never do so it was a challenge for me!
There is a sale going on in my Ebay store right now, the link is on the side bar>>>>>

new items for sale

I am listing more stuff for sale...trying to purge my supplies so I can actually use what I have instead of spending all my time trying to find things!
Click the tab at the top of the page that says STAMPS FOR SALE...I have more than just stamps--there is scrapbooking items,cuttlebug stuff,7 gypsies stuff...I will continue to add more as I find things so be sure to check back often!

promise

I promise I will be posting lots of fun stuff....SOON...there are a million ideas rolling around in my head...it is getting crowded in there!

where did Spring go?

What happened..we were doing so well but now it is cold,windy and just plain YUCKY outside. I need some sunshine...yesterday morning we had a hard frost and some sun which made for some wonderful photo opportunities ( although I'd still rather not be photographing frost in MAY)

Favorite website

I have to share my newest FAVORITE website...
CRESCENDoh
it is a wonderful daily dose of inspiration unlike anything else I've ever seen. Be sure to check out the daily archives(link in the side bar) because there is a huge amount of fabulousness to be checked out. It is the brain child of Jenny Doh-the former editor of my beloved Somerset Studio,her style is impeccable. You won't be disappointed.

blue jars

clipped from raisedincotton.typepad.com

long over due

Making some long over due cards for some friends plus some to send into Stampers Sampler(I won't show those just in case they want them-they like things to be "exclusive")
But anyhooo..I am still messing around with the Distress Ink backgrounds,you should see the pile i have to work with now! Some of them as larger pieces just look crazy so I started using my punches to punch out smaller bits that i liked-I am liking the contrasting colors?? The semtiment stamps are from Hero Arts.

Bunches of bloggy goodness

Vicki over at Clip-n-Cuts
is looking to get 1000 crafty blogs in on a hop...super simple to add yours to the fun!
Check out all of this inspiration...

I swear updates are on the way.....

New Cards

Distress Inks-Broken China and Lipstick, Dragonfly is from Impression Obsession, Quote is from Unity.
Distress Inks Spiced Marmalade and Broken China, Flower from Penny Black, Quote from Unity.
Distress Inks Broken China, Spiced Marmalade, Berry vine is Hero Arts, quote is Unity.
So I was messing around with Distress Inks on my non stick craft sheet and my new set of stamps from Unity(designed by Donna Downey)-I bought it especially for the quotes..the images I used were from a variety of other companies...Hero Arts, Penny Black, Impression Obsession. I am anxiously awaiting a shipment of the NEW Distress ink colors-I think they are all spoken for already but I'd be happy to re-order if you want any...I will post the colors once I get them...

Spring Fever

We're supposed to get a pile of snow today but I still have Spring Fever..I am itching to change things up in the house. I'm trying to decide what i can do that won't cost much but will actually have an impact....paint is cheap but it is such a huge job-the only room that needs painted is my bedroom and it is so big it will take a few gallons. I found the bedding I want on Target.com-I am hoping it is more grey than brown-of course it isn't available in the store to look at I'd have to order it but it returnable to the store if I don't like the color. But I can't really do anything else til I order the darn thing!Maybe when we get our tax return?
Ok so I still need to do something to satisfy the urge to decorate!! I wonder if just Spring cleaning and rearranging some shelves will placate me?

Yard Sale stamps

See at the top of the page where is says Yard Sale stamps for sale?? Click that tab and it will take you to another page where I am listing stamps for sale CHEAP...some are used,some are brand new...I will be adding many many more so check back often! I'd say i have roughly 150 to sell..I just have to make room for more(LOL). I will accept Paypal or if you live locally I can accept a check or cash. If you need items shipped I will be sure to give the lowest cost for shipping I can, of course you are always welcome to stop and pick stuff up too. If there is enough interest I may be adding some ink pads,papers and other supplies.
Thanks for looking!
xom

Wednesday Wonder....

Lookie here...
http://dominodebi.typepad.com/sos/2010/02/spotlight-on-mary-walmer.html

I am being featured on the Society of Stamp & Scrap-aholics Blog as this weeks Wednesday Wonder! What an honor-thanks Deb!!

Twice in one day???

I'm on a roll today...how weird?
The top card is a full 8.5X11 piece of card stock folded in half..I used a Glimmer Screen to mask off the tree shape,sprayed it with Lettuce Colorwash and a light spritz of Clear gold Glimmer Mist and a bit of Goldleaf Marker that I "splatted"-yes that is a technical term which means I simply pumped the tip a few times to get it all juicy then whacked it across a paintbrush handle to make it splatter. The sentiment is old PSX stamp I found on Ebay...love it. Added some freshness with the Black and White patterned paper edge and punched butterflies.
The 2nd card uses Flower Soft-this stuff is so strange..look at the close up...little bits of shredded plastic I guess? But it's fun to work with-I used a stamp from Paper Inspirations,inked it up with Adirondack Current,Eggplant and Stream-spritzed it with water and stamped it three times. I used a Glue marker and dabbed it randomly around the flower and dumped some Flower Soft on it-tapped it down and shook off the excess(over scrap paper so i could dump it back in the jar). the sentiment is Stampendous.
xom

Spray Inks

Playing with spray inks this morning...the first card is my favorite...I used Glimmer Mist in Pinecone and Oriental Poppy for the background then used Adirondack inks on the stamp( I believe it was Currant and Stream with a little Ginger, ink up the stamp randomly then give it a quick spritz of water to blend the colors before stamping) The Queen Anne's Lace stamp is from Penny Black and the sentiment is from Technique Tuesday.
The 2nd card uses a heavier dose of inks on the background-but first I stamped and embossed in CLEAR the Dill stamp from Hero Arts a few times. Sprayed the inks over top then dried it,laid a piece of copy paper over it and used an iron to pull the embossing powder off of the card(it absorbs into the copy paper)-then I used the stamp to stamp in black over top. The spray inks used here were Glimmer Mist in Pinecone,Oriental Poppy and a Lapis Lazuli Blue from Lindy's Stampgang.
The 3rd card used spray from Lindy's Stampgang-Landlubber Green I believe and the Glimmer Mist Pinecone-after that dried I stamped an old Hero Arts heart background with Adirondack Ginger ink. The stamps are from Inkadinkado and are stamped in Memento Rich Cocoa ink. I added high lights with a white gel pen.
Added some new stuff to the Ebay store yesterday...some Webster's Pages,some Basic Grey, some Glimmer Mist and some Stampington stamps...use the link in the sidebar to go check it out!
xom

Just a couple of things I've been messing around with, playing with Alphabet stamps,sequins, watercolors,and even the sewing machine to do do a little MESSY STITCHING-I love ragged lines and stray threads.

Cuz I FELT like it...

I've taken a little foray into needle felting...oh my..it's a bit addictive! My friend Carolyn got me started.....the top piece is a pendant(I need to find a chain or something for it- he hemp isn't doing it for me) and the 2nd piece is a button....how awesome! I'm sure you'll see many more pieces in coming days-and maybe some for sale??

FEBRUARY

January flew by...even though there were a few days there that kind of dragged when we were buried under 1000 feet of snow...we made it through. Now February-I have a love/hate relationship with this month. Its my birthday month but after 40 you kind of don't want to celebrate any more...it's also my youngest daughters birth month,she will be 17 ( i cannot even wrap my head around that one)-she is about to finish up her Junior year in Cyber School and has already started on her Senior schedule. She has a job at McD's and is doing really well-I am just so proud of her. So back to February.....even though I should feel joyful about the days to celebrate I always feel like this month is the hardest to get through, the weather is so dismal,there are no signs of Spring yet, Valentine's Day is just a big disappointment every year...if I had the $$ I would skip town for the whole darn month.
So what are we gonna do about this?? If you were a reader last year you may remember I did a month of art tags(the photos are still on my Flickr account-link over to the left) so i think I need to do something similar this year. Not tags though-I am interested in white space right now so i think I will tear some watercolor paper into manageable pieces and do some small QUOTE SCRAPS...I have one in progress now-hopefully I can post it by the end of the day.

Sunshine and Stamps!

Oh my goodness-the sunshine is like a drug...a really really gooood drug!
And I listed new stamps today....i have a confession to make,
-i-like-stamps...no wait, L-O-V-E..I LOVE stamps.

There I said it..i feel so much better now. At first I was kind of a snob about clear stamps,didn't really like them,thought they were just a wannabe..you know. But I have to admit-the affordability of manufacturing acrylic stamps has really opened up the market for some FABULOUS designs-designs you would never see in wood mounted RUBBER because the cost to manufacture rubber is higher.I still think in the long run,the rubber will last longer and if you do ALOT of stamping(like if you make cards for a living and are likely to use a stamp hundreds and hundreds of times) you should invest in rubber whenever possible but clear stamps have their place. Especially when you can get designs like these...the first two are from Tattered Angels and the stamps are HUGE-that butterfly is 6" across! The leaf in the other set is 4" long so the owls,dragonfly and butterfly are even bigger-crazy cool! The next one is from Bo Bunny-they used to be strictly "cutesy" but their stamp designs have come a long way-the bigger sets are in a CD storage case-I also have a couple of their smaller sets in my Ebay store.
And the last set..ok I KNOW its CUTE,sometimes you can't resist cuteness and these are done so well. I also listed some sets from Unity-they are pretty darn awesome.
Ok back to the sunbeam!

Thank You Hero Arts!!

A big thanks to Hero Arts for choosing me as their FRESH FACE winner for the first half of January...I was flabbergasted when I saw their blog with my cards on it...exactly the kind of boost I needed right now....
http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2010/01/21/friendship-valentines-challenge-winners/


and here is a little taste of what has gone into my Ebay store this week...lots more to add and lots more to see...as always,if you don't feel comfortable using Ebay just let me know and we can work something out. I got a few colors of Shimmerz to try out,they are a waterbased shimmery paint that dries on almost all surfaces,they are thicker than water colors but thinner than acrylics and VERY shimmery!

My favorite tool-the Tim Holtz edge distresser-love this thing!
My favorite black ink pad-nice dark black,good coverage,doesn't bleed when you use copics or watercolors on it.
My new favorite color-GRAY! I got the Stazon in this soft dove gray and a darker stone gray.
Another favorite tool-great for adding ink tot he edges of your pages to distress them-also good for applying a fast coat of paint to a paper without getting your hands messy.
And this little gem has been on back order since last Fall-it is a small tin with a strip of"film strip"-they call it ribbon but it is actually plastic,just like real film, very very cool!

I'll post some photos of the stamp sets after I get them listed.Are you seeing all the new stuff being released at the Craft and Hobby Show this weekend?? OH MY...the Tim Holtz line is KILLING me...the papers!!!!! The dies, the stamps,etc.........oh yes-it will all be available here ASAP!! If there is anything you'd like to pre order just say the word!
xom